A Mystery Shopper Fraud Revealed!

Some retailers hire marketing research companies to evaluate the quality of service in their stores. These research companies, in turn, use mystery shoppers to make a particular purchase in a store or restaurant and then report on the experience. This can be effective in improving services. 

Another version of mystery shopping is not so effective – except at fraudulently separating consumers from their money. This financial fraud involves consumers being "hired" to evaluate the speed and efficiency of a specified money transfer service. In this process, the shopper receives a check with instructions to deposit it in a personal bank account, withdraw the amount in cash, and wire it to a third party. After wiring the cash to a third party, the victim learns that the check was counterfeit, and loses the amount of money involved. Generally, these opportunities are posted on reputable websites, television stations, and publications, hoping this will give them credibility. In reality, these media outlets are unable to verify the legitimacy of the job opportunity.
 
In fact, radio stations recently have reported they had been contacted via e-mail by an individual wanting to run advertising on their radio stations. The individual wanted to purchase radio spots to promote a mystery shopper program. The radio stations received signed confirmations and payments, via credit cards, which cleared. The radio stations ran the ads and, shortly after, began receiving complaints from listeners who had been scammed by the offer. Listeners advised they received a check and were instructed to cash it immediately. After deducting $450 for their commission, they were told to wire the difference to a third party. Later, the check was identified as counterfeit by the financial institution.
 
To make matters worse, the credit card used to pay for the ads was later identified as being compromised.